There are many people who prefer volleyball over basketball (And I am one of them) and this is could be justified by many reasons …
In this article, I breakdown all these reasons!
By the way: My goal is definitely NOT to make volleyball look good and basketball look bad. Both sports are Amazing without a doubt!
5 Reasons why volleyball is better than basketball.
Less activity
In volleyball the players do not run as much as in basketball. There are intense moments where a form of running is required in volleyball, or quick outburst of energy.
Basketball on the other hand requires its players to be on the move all the time, virtually not stopping to rest a second.
Team sport
Both sports are team sport, but Volleyball has the advantage still has the edge in this regard …
Indeed, in volleyball no one can address the success of winning a point to him alone; it is always required of him to cooperate with his team mates.
In basketball in several occasions we can see that a team mate is selfish and might not really cooperative with the team.
Physical contact
In volleyball there is not direct physical contact. Players are positioned behind the net and do not have to do anything except playing the ball.
In basketball however there is extensive contact between the players and it is rough sometimes. That roughness can produce bruises and injuries which some people do not like.
By the way, volleyball players hug each other so much, which is not the case for basketball players …
Ball size and weight
The ball size and weight between a volleyball and a basketball are drastically different. Both go to the air, one needs to touch the ground and the other to go through a net in order to score a point.
The main difference however is that a regular volleyball weights between 260 and 280 grams (Check this example) , while a basketball weights 580 to 620 grams. The basketball makes the manipulation of the ball while in air more difficult.
Court size
A volleyball court is of smaller size than that of a basketball court. A volleyball court is 18 meters in length and nine meters in width, while a basketball court is 28 meters in length and 15 meters in width.
A smaller court requires less maneuverability and less energy, making it the ideal place for less energy consumption, while at the same time the team can achieve maximum effect.
What is the difference of basketball and volleyball?
Used Skills
Volleyball and basketball require different sets of skills …
Jumping – Both volleyball and basketball require the ability to jump. Jumping is however more characteristic for volleyball. Volleyball players that are closest to the net, like the blockers are required to constantly jump for the ball.
They need to be able to jump high and quick in order to block incoming balls form the opposing team.
Basketball players however, make the most jumps when shooting the ball and when they are below the basket and need to strike points as quick as possible, they rely more on the momentum for their jumps, while volleyball players rely on the muscles of their legs in order to jump high.
Explosiveness – Explosiveness is crucial to both sports …
Volleyball players need to be explosive in short, but effective bursts, while basketball players need to keep up the momentum at all times.
Volleyball gives the players some room for rest, while basketball provides just a fraction of that. Volleyball players are explosive and swift when it comes to executing their moves, while basketball players are somewhat sluggish.
Equipment
When it comes to equipment volleyball and basketball are not that different.
Both volleyball and basketball players use knee pads (Like this 0ne), knee braces, if needed, they use knee sleeves and they also use arm sleeves (Like this One).
The only real difference that matters when it comes to comparing these two are the shoes or sneakers that are used.
Basketball shoes are made in such a way that they protect your ankles form injury, they are deeper than volleyball shoes and are better suited for basketball. They have similar grip to volleyball shoes and are more stiffer.
Volleyball shoes (Check those shoes Here at Amazon) on the other hand are made shallower than basketball shoes, they have more cushioning, because the jumping can be more repetitive than that of basketball.
Volleyball shoes do not protect your ankle like basketball shoes do, but they have a similar role however, with smaller protection.
In recent years we can see a more growing phenomenon in the volleyball world that includes basketball shoes in volleyball games. Some volleyball players tend to use basketball shoes rather than volleyball shoes. That is up to the player to ultimately decide.
Physical attributes
Physical attributes play a significant role when it comes to volleyball and basketball. They have common physical requirements, but they differ in many ways.
Height – Height plays a prominent role in both volleyball and basketball. There is however a slight difference between those two requirements.
We can see in basketball that nearly all players are of similar height. The average player in the NBA as of 2021 is 1.98 meters tall, and that has been the average for 39 seasons.
Basketball players are all tall and masculine, hence their sluggishness. Volleyball however requires less height, but more mobility of its players.
Volleyball players have the average height of 190 centimeters. The lowest figure is 180 centimeters, while the highest is 210 centimeters.
Volleyball players are like basketball players, masculine, but with a more leaner body, resulting in greater mobility than basketball players.
Popularity
In recent years some studies have shown that volleyball is winning the battle of popularity against basketball.
That can be explained by many things, such as germ freaks, who do not like being in contact with sweaty people, lack of aggression required for volleyball and the overall nature of the sport.
The statistics of the NFHS for the past decade show that there has been a steady influx of volleyball players, mainly 40.000 new players in the past decade, compared to the 23.000 new players in basketball.
Those figures show which of these two sports is winning the battle of popularity, we can only hope for it to get better since volleyball has the upper hand when compared to basketball.
Keep in mind that compared to basketball, volleyball remains popular mostly amongst females!
What one is more challenging (volleyball or basketball)
When comparing volleyball and basketball, we can say that basketball is more challenging because a variety of reasons, mainly being associated to the nature of the game.
Basketball is a more aggressive sport than volleyball. Yes, volleyball players are aggressive, but that is limited to the moves execution.
In addition, Basketball requires more physical strength, endurance and stamina. However, underestimating volleyball in this regard would be a mistake. Volleyball also requires a certain degree of endurance and stamina, but the players have the chance to rest and recover in between games.
Basketball players rest way less than volleyball players do, and it is also required to mention that the bigger court is nearly 2 times than the volleyball court!
Does playing volleyball make you better at basketball?
Many professional volleyball players have played other sports before playing volleyball professionally. Those sports are soccer, football, hockey, basketball and many other sports. The thing is that all of these sports share some common things.
The most important indicator for players who have played other sports before their professional career is that they have a large set of athletic skills that can be used nearly anywhere.
A volleyball player that is playing basketball from time to time can have some benefits, and vice versa.
Imagine a semi-professional volleyball player that plays recreational basketball 2 times a week. That recreational practice can only benefit him for his endurance and stamina.
It may also help him with his aggressiveness and long term stamina, but nothing out of the ordinary, or nothing that volleyball can provide him with.
So a volleyball player who plays recreational basketball can benefit from as he can enhance his jumps, endurance and long term stamina.
Final Thoughts …
Again, the goal of this short article is not to make basketball look bad or anything like that. We are talking here about a great sport with a ton of legends, Kobe Bryant, Mickael Jordan, LeBron James to name a few …
However, basketball might not be suitable for some people who are rather looking for other characteristics that they could find easily in volleyball.